Infected
by LolliliciousLolly
Summary: Paul is pissed off that Suze thinks Jesse is oh so perfect, so he infects Jesse with two of the Seven Deadly Sins. Unfortunately, he didn't predict the result of such a deadly combination: Lust and Wrath.


**This was written for the Seven and Deadly competition on the MCBC**

**Love Lolly.**

* * *

_'What do you mean, "What are you doing"?' I spat at her. 'Oh come on, Suze! Don't act like you didn't know that was going to happen! Why the hell do you still come to these freakin' shifter lessons? It's certainly not for the theory!'_

_She looked horrified. I had no idea why. I'd kissed her. It wasn't a big deal. I'd done it slowly and precisely, and she hadn't made any objections as I initiated. I did not deserve to get slapped for that one. She'd seen it coming from the start.'_

_'I thought you were over that thing!' she snapped furiously, gathering up her bag. 'I've told you Paul, we're not going to happen, okay? There's nothing between us anymore. Deal with it!'_

_'What if I don't want to?' I demanded, standing up hurriedly from my bed. 'What if I want there to be something between us?'_

_'I say, tough luck,' she said snidely. 'I can't believe I thought you'd grown up...'_

_I sneered at her. 'Oh right, because your precious Jesse is so perfect. Suze, I regret to tell you that your boyfriend is a CORPSE. He doesn't even belong on this plane of existence! I'm alive, Suze. As far as who has more to offer you, he doesn't compare to me. I'm the best you've got!'_

_She spun around, her brown curls whipping her face in the process. Her eyes were flashing with anger. 'You have the nerve to think you're...better than him?' She laughed hollowly. 'Oh my God. That's - that's hilarious. That's completely insane.' _

_She shook her head, eyeing me with what looked like hateful pity. 'Paul. You don't even hold a candle to Jesse. You may have all the material things in life going for you...but at least he has a soul. Unlike you. Jesse has compassion, humility...he's not a pervert like you, and he doesn't blow his top every time I'm around him, which you seem to always manage to do! Compared to YOU, he's perfect.'_

_My lip curled, her insults swarming around me like wasps. Each one stung me, causing an unimaginable pain to consume me, before liquefying into white hot anger. _

_'He's perfect, is he?' I glared. 'Suze, he's - '_

_'You're nothing compared to Jesse,' Suze hissed. 'Paul, I'm serious when I say this. I...I don't want to see you again. I'm sorry, but it's probably kinder to you, since you seem to be obsessed with what you can't have.'_

_She turned on her heal, and left._

_The anger rendered me immobile. It was debilitating._

_After a second of absurd stillness, I jerked forward and roared throughout my house, 'I CAN have you, Suze! I can have ANYONE I WANT! And I do NOT lose to a DEAD GUY!'_

_But she was already gone..._

_I fell backward, unaware of what had just happened. After everything...these months of coaxing, enticing...had I just blown it completely? She was all I wanted; all I thought about. _

_...Had I really just lost her?_

_My face twisted into an ugly scowl, and I turned away from the door, pissed off like I'd never been. _

_Perfect, was he? No one was perfect... NO ONE. What, just because SHE didn't think he felt those things that a guy usually feels around a girl that beautiful? Was she stupid? How could de Silva NOT think about her that way?_

_But oh, no, "Jesse's so perfect, of course he doesn't think about things like sex, and stuff! He's such a gentleman! And he doesn't get angry because he's so wonderful and - " GOD that made me sick to my stomach._

_I'd show her. I'd teach her that he was just like the rest of us. Love. Hah, he didn't love her... he wanted her for the same reason that I did. Original sin didn't pass him by. He was infected, just like everyone else. _

_Sin..._

_I paused, breathless from my mental ranting. _

_Sin._

_...Oh, that would be perfect...that would be the ideal solution to this disgusting mess..._

_I fell to my knees in front of my bed, and tore my ancient volumes from beneath my bed. I'd seen something long ago in my research about what, and indeed, who I was. My being a shifter caused me to deal with some of the darkest practices known to man. And I, as a shifter, had the power to perform any of these practices._

_See? Power. I had it, he didn't. She could, if only she had have chosen me..._

_It was payback time. I'd teach her a lesson she'd never forget._

_I flicked through my books, trying to find it. _

_I wouldn't sleep until I did.

* * *

_

The moment I got home and into my room, I seized my pillow and I shrieked into it. For like, thirty whole seconds. Really. My lungs were killing me afterward. Hmm...remind me not to do that often. Although, some of the frustration that was coursing through my body was released.

I was frustrated with myself most of all, though.

I had been stupid. And naive. Why had I thought that he'd have changed at all? Leopards don't change their spots, after all. He'd always be the same asshole that I'd known the very first day I'd met him. An arrogant, self-centered, stubborn, obsessive compulsive pisshead.

Oh well. That was it. I was breaking all ties with him. I just...I couldn't take it anymore. He complicated EVERYTHING.

There was no reason to put myself through that if I didn't have to. So I was just going to ignore him. No more shifting lessons, no more calling on him for ghostly back-up. I had Jesse for that. Jesse was more than enough for me.

Maybe my thoughts were becoming stronger in their power to reach the astral plane, but no sooner had I thought that, the Spaniard himself had materialised directly in front of me. I looked up in surprise, before immediately drowning blissfully in the warm chocolate oceans of his eyes. His forehead wrinkled in concern.

_'Querida_,' he frowned. 'Is something wrong?'

I smiled weakly, breathing out excess stress. 'No...everything's fine...' I slid my arms around him and basked in the luxurious feel of his chest against the side of my head. His arms automatically moved to hold me with a tenderness that could not be matched.

'I missed you at school,' I muttered childishly, kissing him on the side of his face.

'Susannah,' his eyes sparkled with humour. 'You were only gone for seven hours, tops.'

I whined, 'That's too long...'

He chuckled. 'You are precious, Susannah...' He tilted my chin up, and graced my lips with a gentle passion. I smiled. Yay...Mission Seduction has been executed. Even if it was a little on the immature side...

Hey. Bite me, okay?

I was delighted when he slowly moved our kiss to the bed, thus increasing our heat. Jesse fell on top of me, without crushing me, obviously. I grinned, very pleased with the sudden turn of events.

'You know,' I murmured against his neck, 'In a few hours, everyone will be out, Jesse...we'll have the house to ourselves.'

'I thought your brother David was staying home,' Jesse looked down at my curiously, pecking me on the cheek.

'Nuh uh. He's got a study orgy with his little geeky friends all night.'

Jesse wrinkled his nose. 'Charming, Susannah. However, classically my _querida_, of course.'

I grinned. 'Kiss me, cowboy.'

'I'm inclined to oblige,' he growled sexily, thrilling the skin of my neck.

Perfection...

* * *

_It was nine o'clock that night when I finally found the damned page. My heart leapt when I saw the words, written in Gothic styled font over a yellowed paper pertaining exactly what I'd been after._

_The Seven Deadly Sins._

_My eyes hungrily scanned them all. Greed, Gluttony, Wrath, Lust, Pride, Envy, Sloth... _

_The deadliest and destructive sins known to man. I smirked darkly, reading on._

_The hex was everything I remembered it to be. I had the power to infect anyone I wished with one of these sins. It would consume them, bringing our their innate sin and releasing them of the thing that stopped their sin from reaching satisfaction. This was it. The perfect revenge._

_But oh, which to infect Jesse with? Which would prove that he wasn't the lovely neutered boy of Suze's imagination?_

_I remembered back to her cutting words, and Lust instantly leapt out at me. Yeah...that would clue her in. She'd find out that her treasured little ghost was in actual fact, a man with urges._

_They were already there. I'd just help them to manifest themselves..._

_I lowered my eyes back down to the aged paper, squinting at the Latin. I said the infecting words the directed amount of times, before commanding which of the Seven Sins I had chosen for the victim. **'Luxuria**...'_

_However, I tilted my head, considering once more. Hah. Why not give her a real...scare? I smiled, satisfied with my decision._

_And so, in addition to cursing Jesse with Lust, I also added Wrath to the mix._

_**'Ira**...'_

_That would suffice. I mean, I could have thrown in some others, but I didn't want to overdo it. And plus, I didn't want her to know what I was up to. If he acted too out of character, she'd guess I was behind it straight away. But just bringing out the anger and the desire in her corpse of a boyfriend that was already there would leave me relatively guiltless. _

_After all, all men get those urges._

_After it was over, she could just write it off as that, but be more aware of the fact that her Jesse wasn't as perfect and safe as she obviously thought._

_I was doing her a favour, really..._

_Breathing hard, I said the word that bound the curse._

_**'Contamino**...'

* * *

_

**We were alone in the house by this hour. Susannah's mother and step-father had left for the evening at five o'clock, whilst her step-brothers had gradually drifted out at various times. I sighed in relief when Bradley departed, finally.**

**He always seemed to have a tendency to interrupt.**

**Susannah was pleased to be alone, also. This became apparent when, whilst we were still in the kitchen, she suddenly jumped on my back, taking me completely by surprise. I chuckled when I heard her charming giggles, however.**

**'Carry me upstairs,' she commanded happily in my ear, kissing my lobe. _Dios_...how could I say no to her?**

**Obeying her, I carried her up to her room, whilst she was on my back. She laughed the entire way. That was my querida...always the excitable one. **

**The moment we reached her bedroom, her legs relinquished their hold around my waist, and she slid from my back, alternately moving to stand in front of me, smiling up at me with her magnificent eyes. They were truly the most enchanting eyes ever...**

**They certainly had me hypnotised. **

**'So,' her smile was coy, but knowing. She slid her hand down my chest enticingly. 'You have me all to yourself now, Mr. de Silva...no witnesses...what on earth do you want to do with me?'**

**I swallowed, as the temptation started rushing in once more...as always, she was the one that could bring me to my knees. I'd do anything for her...**

**Except dishonour her.**

**That, I had not the courage to do. Not as an unmarried man, and definitely not as a ghost.**

**The decision to not touch her didn't make it any less hard, though. Sometimes, I so desperately wanted to, it was all I could do to stop myself.**

**'Querida...' I said rustily. Why was it, whenever she made contact with me, my lungs, dead as they were, functioned even less?**

**My hand went to her hair, luxuriating in the softness. She was so beautiful...so pure...how I loved her so...**

**Then, she stood on her toes in the darkness of her room, and claimed my mouth as her own.**

**The urge to do more was potent, but I resisted. My immunity to that urge was slowly deteriorating though, no matter how hard I'd worked to remain unaffected by her charm. **

**I knew how badly she wanted to be with me in that manner, but I could not yield. For her sake, if not my own. It was not right...**

**So we would continue to deny ourselves of it, despite its tantalising temptations...**

**For example, the passion in her kiss.**

**We fell on her bed, like a pair of fools in love, and I kissed her with all the ardor I bore. Reigning in the desire was increasingly difficult, with her body against mine that closely...oh, if only - **

**A white hot pain suddenly seared through my body, and I gasped. What _in il nombre de Dios_ was _that_? Why...**

**I pulled away from her lips, breathing heavily, and just staring into her eyes. They glittered up at me, thrilled by my kisses.**

**Why, how could I not continue to please her in that way?**

**Hungrily, I dove back down, kissing her so thoroughly that she began moaning beneath me. The pleasure that was inspired from her noises was so rich, so...good...I had to have more of her.**

**'Querida...' I breathed.

* * *

**

Wow, he'd never been that forward in his kissing. Passionate, yes. But not...energetic like that, I guess is the only way to say it. Almost intrusive...but not in a bad way.

At least, I don't think so.

As his kiss got questionably more forceful though, I twisted my head away, my brown furrowed uncertainly. 'Um...Jesse...'

He continued harassing my neck, eliciting severe stabs of addictive sensation. It was almost like he was ignoring me. Which was weird. He was always so in tune with me, and how I felt. That was so different about him and Paul.

Paul just wanted to feel good. Jesse...wanted ME to feel good. I was his focus. And you know, it was nice to know that.

But…this was weird. I repeated myself. 'Jesse…can you stop for – for just a second, please?'

He pulled away, visibly panting. His eyes looked hungrier than I'd ever seen them. 'What?'

I blinked in confusion. 'Um…you're just…'

'Enjoying myself,' he smiled, showing his teeth. I laughed uncertainly. 'Aren't you?' he wanted to know.

'Er…yeah…'

'Good.'

Once again, his lips were hot on my neck, and I squirmed beneath him, my eyes closing. I gasped sharply however, when I felt something painful nearly pierce my skin. 'Ow! Jesse, what the hell?'

He groaned in what sounded like annoyance, and pulled away. 'What?' he asked defensively.

My hand rubbed my neck gingerly. 'That…hurt. Why are you…' I trailed off, deeply confused. 'Um…'

His hands snaked slowly down to my own, and before I knew what he was doing, he'd pinned them both above my head. I giggled, very nervous. 'Jesse…what – '

He didn't grant me permission to respond, however, because his mouth smashed against mine, and his tongue delved in the cavity he'd entered. His kiss was almost unrecognisable to the one I knew. After a minute of him kissing in this vein, I twisted away, fearing for my air supply. 'Okay, Jesse…I don't know what's going on, but can you just…tone it back a little?'

'_Querida_,' he chided. 'I thought this was what you wanted…' I felt his hand slide down my side, until it reached…_uhhhhh_… 'What you've wanted so desperately from me since we met…'

I gulped. I couldn't believe I was allowing these words to come from my mouth, but he had to be corrected. 'Jesse, yeah. I do. I _did_. But you're acting…weird.'

His breath was hot against my lips as he brushed ours together, cajoling me. I shivered beneath his form. 'Isn't this…how you like it?'

I shank beneath him a little, as the answer slithered from me. '…No. You're…this, it's – it's scaring me, Jesse. Can…um…can we stop, please?'

Above me, I saw his eyes narrow. He shook his head. 'Susannah, of course we cannot stop now. I can't stop. You can't…deny me of you any longer.'

'What?' I asked hurriedly, rather freaked by now. 'Jesse, I said no. Okay? Do that convenient respecting-my-wishes thing you do,' I snapped. 'Seriously, I've had enough. This isn't what I want – '

Something in my words made his eyes reduce to slits of disdain. 'Oh yes. It's constantly about what _you_ want. _Your_ needs. Well, did you ever stop to think, Susannah, that I have needs to? There are times when I have to physically restrain myself from taking what you owe me. It's hard, but I do it for _you._ And you have the nerve to refuse me when I _finally_ allow myself to let go? I'm sorry, Susannah, but I don't accept that.'

My eyes widened. '…What's _wrong_ with you!'

* * *

**The control was gone. All that was present in my suddenly boiling veins, was the urge to touch her like I needed. The way I needed to as a man. It was what I deserved. She was mine, after all…**

**And here she was, saying _no_?**

**This time, I wasn't going to listen.**

**My nostrils flared in anger. A subtle fury was starting to infiltrate me, starting slowly and making my already hot and bothered body scorch even more. It was hell…**

'**Jesse – ' she began, but didn't want to hear it.**

'**_Silence_,' I spat down at her, shoving her shoulders down and holding them in place. Her pupils dilated in obvious fear. It wasn't my fault…she shouldn't have messed with me like that…**

**It wasn't fair.**

**Then, she started fighting.**

**Her first erupted from my grip, and slammed against my chest with considerable force. 'Get the hell _off of me_,' she threatened. I laughed, instead, my greedy hands had wills of their own as they tore at her shirt…**

**She screamed in obvious alarm, and started slapping at my arms, before digging her nails deeply into my wrists. I hissed in sudden pain, the fury intensifying deep inside of me, making my skin sear, making everything seem so…frustrating…making me want to hurt her for not giving me what I needed…what my blood was pumping so hotly for…**

**I was blinded by something. But I could not see what. All I knew was, I wanted her. And she wasn't letting me have what I wanted.**

**And it made me _angry_…

* * *

**

_Absently, I wondered how it was all going. It was disappointing, really, not being able to watch it all go down. I mean, I wanted to see how well my plan had worked. If she had learnt her lesson yet. _

_I stared up at my ceiling, smiling in the darkness. It was hard to believe how genius I'd been to remember that hex. I guess there had to be some plus in being a shifter. God knows the ghosts were a drag._

_Hah. A lustful Jesse. I could just see it now…all hot and bothered and forward and pushy and horny and shit…_

_This time tomorrow, the pair of them would be over. She'd believe that this was what he'd wanted the whole time they'd been together, and Jesse wouldn't have known what came over him._

_It was the perfect revenge, really._

_However, then I remembered the other sin I'd infected him with, to give the scare an extra kick. Wrath. I wondered how that'd make him act. I mean…he wouldn't…hurt her or anything._

_He'd just be kind of pissed.

* * *

_

'JESSE!' I screamed in gut-wrenching horror, 'Don't, _please_!' His lips were attacking me, plundering my mouth violently and making my whole body tremble. But _not_ in a good way. In a very, very, very bad way…

He clenched his teeth, and hissed at me angrily. 'Don't you _dare _say no…you can't possibly, after all this time…all that teasing…' His fingers gave my shirt one final, harsh rip, and it tore open.

My heart lurched, as his hands began stealing the secrets my skin held. I…I didn't want this. Not when he was like this…what was…what was happening? Why was he _acting_ so –

Who _was_ this monster?

'Jesse,' I begged, fear's grip on me almost unbearable, 'Just calm down…can we just – '

His head plummeted to my stomach, and I felt his tongue there, hot and panting.

Scared out of my life, I tensed both arms and with all the force I could muster, I shoved him sideways so he fell off of the bed. Time was of the essence, so I squirmed the opposite way, landing on the floor with a loud and painful thud. My knee was burning, but I had to ignore it. My heart had never pumped so hard…The fear was devastating. I couldn't think, I could hardly move, and my voice was shot to hell.

My mirror began shaking dangerously. I thought I could hear the rumble of thunder, but it was Jesse's anger. My room was a bomb waiting to explode…I needed to get out of there before it went off…

I crawled messily toward my bedroom door, trying to stand up so I could continue running, but a hand seized my ankle and pulled my down. I yelped, kicking with all my might until I broke free. I made it to my feet at long last, stumbling towards my room's exit, but he caught up with me…

He slammed me against the door, brutal in his execution. 'Why do you _do_ this, Susannah?' he roared in my face. 'How can you _do_ this to me! Make me feel these things, and just stop, leaving me wanting what I can't have! You can't – you can't DO that!'

Behind him, my mirror shattered into thousands of icy shards. I screamed shrilly, instinctively trying to shield myself, but he had my arms pressed firmly against the door. 'I thought this was what you WANTED, Susannah! Make up your damned mind!'

Tears streaked down my face, and I shook my head fiercely. 'No…Jesse, this isn't you…something's wrong with you – please, please just fight it, whatever it is…I know you would never hurt me, this isn't really you – '

He laughed, hatred drenching his voice. 'Oh, Susannah…are you simple? This _is_ the real me, _querida_…'

The way he said it…it was a chilling word. He said it as if it were an insult…

'No – !'

'Yes,' he shoved me harder against my door, and I moaned in pain, '_Dios_, I've been going out of my _mind_ trying to play the part of the perfect gentleman for you, buttering you up for the real me…I thought you'd _welcome_ this revelation of my true nature, but instead…you shun it? I've done everything for you! EVERYTHING! And you repay me, how? By denying me the ONE thing I've _ever_ asked you for!'

He jerked me forward in a frenzy of anger, before slamming me against the door again. My head cracked sickly against the wood as I sobbed endlessly. '_Stop it _– '

'This is YOUR FAULT!' he bellowed in my face, his eyes flashing in an animalistic way as he preyed upon my fear. Then, he kissed me with an aggression that made me want to die. Jesse…he was…hurting me so much…

Why was he so _angry_?

* * *

_Yeah. Kind of pissed…_

_I frowned, and sat up in my bed suddenly, starting to feel cold all over._

_Had I been hasty, to combine the sins of Lust and Wrath? I mean, a guy with urges can be pretty intimidating for a girl like Suze. That was all I wanted. But…an angry, hateful, violent guy with urges?_

…_But – no, he was freakin' whipped. There wasn't a CHANCE that he'd ever hurt her._

_Yeah. Not unless there was dark influence._

_I swore, jerking off of my bed rapidly and seizing my car keys as I bolted out of the house._

_Had I just unleashed a demon on the thing that meant most to me in the world…?_

…_Oh, crap…

* * *

_

I cried into the chasm of his mouth, begging, pleading, sobbing, praying he'd come back to his senses…

In spite of the fear, a flare of courage made me push him away, screaming at him, 'Jesse, SNAP OUT OF IT!'

I punched him, hard and fast, on the side of the head.

He staggered back in shock, before turning back to me, his lip curled in fury. Then, with a speed I could not conceive, his hand smacked me across the face…

Stunned stupid, I fell sideward, my cheek aflame.

* * *

**She crumpled to the ground, shaking. Her shaking fingers upon her face in utter horror that I had dared lay a hand on her.**

**What did she expect? She struck out; I simply retaliated with enough force to alert her as to who, exactly, had the power here.**

'**You think you're _so_ strong, don't you?' I sneered disgustedly down at her. 'Nothing can possibly hurt you. You're invincible. Oh yes, quite. Now you're sniveling…like a girl…'**

**She choked in her sobbing, and moaned for me to stop in my words. **

**I did not oblige.**

'**That's all you are, Susannah,' I snarled. 'A girl. You're weak, pathetic, dirty… you act like you have the strength of any man; like you are his equal. I'm sorry, Susannah…' I leered down at her with loveless eyes, 'but you're just the thing the real men use for gratification…'**

**She cried, long and loud. 'W-why are you doing this…'**

**I ignored her. 'I've waited my time…now give over what you _owe_ me.'**

**Her eyes snapped back up to meet mine, before she sucked in a gulp of air, and kicked my savagely in the knees. They buckled beneath me, and I fell backward. She scrambled up, crying pitifully, and escaped.**

**'NO!' I yelled, 'SUSANNAH! GET _BACK_ HERE!'**

**I stood up furiously and punched the wall with a roar of rage.**

'…**I _will_ find you…'

* * *

**

I tore through the house, quivering like a leaf. If the fear hadn't stricken me enough, the terrible ache inside certainly did. I'd lost Jesse to something dark, and deadly. I didn't know if I'd ever see him again. What if he never came back to me? What if I – God, what if I had to _exorcise_ him?

…I'd never forgive myself…

Once I'd made it down the stairs, I fled into the pitch black living area, trying to quieten my riotous breathing. If I didn't…he'd hear me…and he'd find me…

I was certain he couldn't sense me. He'd only been able to do that before because of our emotional connection. Now, something had fragmented that so grotesquely that his eyes were now stone cold when they looked at me. There was nothing there, except untainted anger.

I saw the towel closet near the hot tub, and I snuck in there as quietly as I could. I couldn't close the door properly behind me, because there was no door handle. That tiny column of moonlight t inspired more trepidation than I ever imagined it would.

Shaking like hell, I held my hand over my mouth to muffle the sound of my panting after running so hard. I prayed he'd come back to me… I couldn't lose him…

Then, like a shriek through the ghostly silent night, there was a creak of movement outside the closet. My heart stopped, and my eyes widened. I shank further into the shallow depths of the closet, hoping the towels would shield me…

There was another creak, closer. I held my breath, shaking so badly.

The final creak was barely beyond the door.

Oh my God.

And to my horror, the door was pulled open and –

* * *

'_Suze!' I whispered in relief, pulling her into a fierce hug. She was shaking. I knew something was really wrong – she wouldn't have touched me under any other circumstances._

'_Oh my God,' she breathed out against my chest. 'I thought you were…'_

'_I know,' I replied, holding her protectively. 'God, I'm so sorry, Suze...I didn't know this would – '_

_She pulled away, eyeing me in suspicion. 'W-what do you mean?'_

_Guilt rushed in and claimed me. I shut my eyes, saddened by my stupidity. 'Suze, I didn't mean for it to go this far, I swear – '_

_She jerked herself backward, into the closet again. Her eyes were glazed with accusations. 'What did you do, Paul?' she demanded coldly, her lips still shaking. _

_I ran my hands down my face, hating my ambition. 'He wasn't supposed to be that affected – '_

'_WHAT did you DO, Paul!' she shrilled._

'_He's cursed,' I stuttered feebly. 'Cursed with Lust, and…Wrath.'_

_Her mouth fell open, aghast. '…Why did you do that?'_

_My shoulders sank. 'I was pissed, and I…I'm so sorry…'_

'_Reverse it!' she begged. 'Paul, please – he's…he's not …that – that THING you set on me is not Jesse…'_

_I grabbed her shoulders, trying to calm her down. Although, my words had the opposite effect. 'Suze, I can't. It's irreversible. He has to see it through first, before it goes away.'_

'_What do you MEAN, see it through!' _

'_I don't know!' I snapped. 'It just said he has to satisfy the sin, okay? I don't know what that means!'_

_Suddenly, her face went blank with the utmost horror that had ever stained her features before._

'_Suze?' I prompted uncertainly. _

'_Paul, MOVE!' she screamed desperately, but before I could do anything, I felt an explosion of pain at the back of my head and…

* * *

_

'No!' I wailed, as Paul collapsed in front of me, as if in slow motion. In his wake, the dark figure of Jesse stepped over his body, staring down at me ferociously.

'I told you I'd find you…' he scorned, his cold fingers closing around my upper arm and yanking me out of the sanctuary of the closet.

I whimpered as he jerked me flush against him, holding both of my forearms in his hands and glaring down at me with cold fire in his eyes.

'You made me do this,' he whispered. 'You could have just – '

'Jesse,' I babbled hysterically, 'Jesse, this isn't you. Paul did something to you that made you really, really angry, and all you have to do is fight it and we'll be fine because I know you will kick yourself afterward if you don't try, so please, try and resist it, fore me…for us…Paul said – '

'Paul Slater,' Jesse laughed angrily, 'Oh, oh _course_. How could I be so _blind_?'

I shook my head in alarm. 'No – whatever you're thinking, no – '

'Don't think I don't know,' Jesse spat, grabbing a fistful of my head and wrenching my head back. I cried out in pain, struggling to get away. His heat was overwhelming me; he was too strong, and his anger was suffocating.

I could hardly breathe from fear…

'The two of you, lying behind my back…your tryst is no secret, Susannah! I know it all. I know the whore you truly are...how you will give yourself over to anyone who would bother with you! And yet, you say no to me? How could you DO that! Deny me what you so dirtily gave him!' he thrust a shaking finger in Paul's direction.

I continued shaking my head, 'No, no, no, I didn't...I don't know what-'

'STOP LYING TO ME!' Jesse's voice was thunderous in my mind, making everything else inaudible. I screwed up my face against his unbearable volume.

'Jesse, I swear - '

He roared in rage, and threw me backward against the window of the hot tub room. My incredible impact caused it to shatter immediately. I fell through the showering glass, and my head hit the side of the tub. I groaned, disorientated from the pain...

But he wasn't done.

Seeing him advancing again on my brought me out from my dizzy stupor, and I tried crawling back, only to cut my hands on class. I gasped from the excruciating sting, but forgot it entirely when Jesse kneeled in front of my, his hands by my head, locking me in place so I couldn't run anymore...

My eyes were fluttering from the intense throb at the back of my head. 'Jesse...'

His lips were shaking as he bared his teeth at me. '...Why couldn't you just love me?' he hissed, his voice unsteady with hatred.

He broke eye contact, and breathed in deeply. He looked to the side. Woozily, I cast my gaze to where his hand had moved to. He'd picked up something, but it...it looked invisible...

Then it caught the moonlight in its reflection.

Glass. Sharp glass.

I realised what he was going to do a second before he did.

'What are you...oh my GOD, JESSE, DON'T - '

..._Oh_.

* * *

**In climax to the intensity of my fury and desperation, I thrust the glass deeply into her stomach...**

**Her screaming stopped with a sickening choke of shock, and her eyes fell to my shaking hand, still holding the glass. I didn't take my eyes off of her...I wanted to watch her suffer, like she'd so easily watched me...**

**She shuddered, coughed, and a trickle of blood ran down the side of her mouth. **

**And then...the hatred had vanished...**

**..._Dios_, how had I been do angry? Why - **

_**NOMBRES DE DIOS!**_

**'Susannah!' I cried, my voice strangled. I ripped the glass from where I had embedded it, and she coughed again, shaking badly. 'Oh, no...'**

**In her convulsing, she managed the smallest smile. 'You're...back...' she whispered.**

**And there in my arms, she went very, very still...**

**My eyes bulged and I swallowed. '...Susannah? Susannah, wake up. I'm sorry - '**

**She did not move.**

**_'Querida_?'**

**What had I done?**

**The horror was unimaginable. It poured in from all sides, surrounding me as if I were inside a hole and it sought to bury me. It crushed me and made my body start shivering in the realisation of what I had committed...**

**Then, there was a loud groan from behind me.**

**I could not turn my head. All I could do was look down at the still open eyes of Susannah...the dark red pooling at her stomach and staining my hands eternally. 'Susannah...I'm so, so sorry...'**

**The groan came again. 'God...' **

**Slater sounded shocked to see me on my knees. 'Jesse? Are you - you're normal again, right? Jesus, I'm so sorry about - ' he broke off suddenly. _'What did you do to her_?'**

**I could not tear my eyes away from hers, blankly staring out at nothing. I could not swallow the cold, sharp pain that was born in my throat. I could not stop shaking, and I could not move the slightest.**

'**I…' my voice was barely there. '…_I killed her_…'**

**I blinked, suddenly seeing the situation for what it really was. And once again, I fell victim to the deadly predator of sin.**

**My head twisted around. He was frozen in cold shock, staring at the wound that had ended my Susannah.**

**I could barely recollect the memory of her frightened words as I had hunted her down, but all I knew was that this had been Paul's doing...**

**I laid Susannah as delicately as I could on the ground, before climbing to my feet slowly, and walking toward Paul.**

**'Hey - what the hell - ' his cowardly voice spluttered, before I seized him by the collar, dragging him up and throwing him in Susannah's hot tub.**

**He yelled in astonishment, splashing loudly in the cold water. I grabbed his shoulders, and pushed him under...**

**'JESSE,' he coughed up water, 'Stop it! You're not a killer!'**

**'No,' I agreed. _'You_ are.'**

**'I didn't mean - !' **

**I shoved him down again.**

**His head disappeared beneath the water, chilling my arms.**

**He emerged, thrashing madly. 'STOP IT!'**

**'I LOVED HER!' I yelled in fury. 'I LOVED HER AND YOU MADE ME _KILL_ HER! YOU...DID SOMETHING TO ME! _YOU_ KILLED HER!'**

**'Jesse!' Paul screamed, 'I thought that it was supposed _wear off_ once the sin was satisfied!'**

**My eyes narrowed. 'It did, Slater. This is _my_ wrath this time, not yours...'**

**I dunked his head for the last time, and did not allow him to resurface.**


End file.
